By Rédaction Africanews and AP Diplomatic efforts are back in focus across the Middle East as key leaders engage in talks on regional conflicts. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi met in Cairo with US envoy Massad Boulos to discuss developments in Sudan and Lebanon. During the meeting, el-Sissi praised US President Donald Trump’s efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. However, new developments have complicated the situation. Shortly after Trump announced plans for renewed negotiations with Iran, US forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz, raising questions about the future of those talks. Iran…
Author: Montage Africa
A Nigerian scientist’s “personal experience” with a wildfire, its threat to endangered bats she discovered just days before, and her campaign to protect them, has won her the global Goldman Environmental Prize. Found in the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary in south-eastern Nigeria, Iroro Tanshi said seeing the short-tailed roundleaf bat for the first time in almost 50 years, should have been “big headliner news”. But there was a “serious situation… wildfires”, she told the BBC Focus on Africa podcast. In a country where bats are often associated with witchcraft, Tanshi successfully launched a community-led campaign to protect them by preventing wildfires…
Kenya’s John Korir set a new course record of two hours, one minute and 52 seconds to win a second successive Boston Marathon. Compatriot Sharon Lokedi also defended her title in the women’s race, finishing in two hours, 18 minutes and 51 seconds. Korir, 29, shaved one minute and 10 seconds off the previous course record set by Kenya’s Geoffrey Mutai in 2011. His latest victory follows wins at the Chicago Marathon in 2024 and the Valencia Marathon in December. “This year was a breeze for me because I had no problems at the start or at the finish,” Korir,…
Trailblazer Cynthia Shange, regarded in South Africa as the first black woman to represent the country in the prestigious Miss World beauty competition at the height of apartheid, has died aged 76. Her daughter Nonhle Thema shared the news of her passing “with a heavy heart”, as she paid tribute to her mother and her “compassionate” soul. “Please keep my family in your prayers during this difficult time,” she wrote on social media. Hailed as a pioneer for her efforts on the international stage, Shange was also a formidable actress with a career spanning decades. The former beauty queen passed…
The war has rolled on to other battlefields, but the bombs it left behind still wait patiently in the capital’s ruined streets. In eastern Khartoum’s Burri neighbourhood, authorities recently sealed off an area after an explosion blamed on a landmine triggered by burning waste. Sudanese deminers in bright orange vests moved in, probing the debris with the grim patience their work demands. It was a stark reminder that even as fighting shifts elsewhere, the explosive legacy of Sudan’s civil war continues to claim civilian lives. Since the Sudanese Armed Forces retook much of Khartoum in 2025, teams from the United…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP Indigenous representatives from around the world convened in New York this week for the 25th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, calling for stronger protections of their rights and greater inclusion in global decision-making. Opening the session, UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the vital role Indigenous peoples play in preserving culture and protecting the planet. He described them as “guardians of nature” and warned that global crises, from environmental degradation to inequality, are disproportionately affecting Indigenous communities. Guterres stressed that despite contributing the least to global challenges, Indigenous peoples often bear…
By Rédaction Africanews and Agencies Civil rights groups say Mali is responsible for abuses committed by Russian mercenaries. Mali is facing charges of violating its citizens human rights over the conduct of its armed forces and that of the Russian mercenary Wagner Group. Civil society organisations argue that authorities in the West African nation are responsible for abuses committed in the country and for failing to investigate or sanction those responsible, according to a case filed before the African Union’s human rights court on Monday. The case was brought by three civil society groups: TRIAL International, The Pan African Lawyers…
By michael oduor The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), James Swan, began his first field visit to eastern DRC today (20 Apr) in Beni since taking office. The first day of the visit focused on assessing the security situation in the Grand Nord, reviewing efforts to protect civilians, and strengthening dialogue with provincial authorities. Upon arrival in Beni, Swan and his delegation received a security briefing before proceeding to Force Headquarters, where they were…
South Africa’s police chief has been formally charged with failing in his duties to provide proper oversight in his role following a health contract that has become the subject of a criminal investigation. General Fannie Masemola, 62, was summoned to court over his alleged part in the awarding of a controversial $21m (£15.5m) tender, which has since been cancelled. He has been charged with violating part of South Africa’s Public Finance Management Act, which governs how public finances are managed. The case comes amidst a national inquiry examining allegedly widespread corruption involving police officers and politicians. Masemola told journalists after…
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called for fairer global trade rules that support developing countries in their transition to low-carbon economies while protecting their growth, speaking at the Spain Business Forum in Madrid on Friday. Ramaphosa said emerging economies support climate action but warned that new regulations should not unfairly burden countries that contributed little to historical emissions. “South Africa supports climate action. We are committed to the just transition towards a low-carbon economy,” he said. “But new regulatory frameworks, including the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, must not become instruments that inadvertently punish emerging economies for emissions they did not…